‘Schitt’s Creek’: Annie Murphy Wasn’t the Original Choice for Alexis Rose
It’s hard to picture Schitt’s Creek without Annie Murphy. Over the course of six seasons, she delivered a flawless Alexis Rose. Everything from her infections to her gestures seemed to fit the character perfectly. So it may surprise fans to know that Murphy wasn’t the original actor cast in the role of the socialite. So just how did the Kevin Can F**k Himself actor find her way into the cast?
What actor was initially chosen to play Alexis Rose in the ‘Schitt’s Creek’ cast?
The role of Alexis initially went to the actor Abby Elliot. Funnily enough, Elliot is actually the daughter of Chris Elliot, who portrayed Roland Schitt in the series. Abby had racked up quite a few TV and film credits prior to being cast in Schitt’s Creek. She even had a four-year stint on Saturday Night Live! Most recently, the actor portrayed Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto in the comedy-drama, The Bear.
How Annie Murphy ended up booking the life-changing job
Clearly, Abby had the skillset to join the Schitt’s Creek cast. Why then did the role go to Murphy? It turns out that Abby had filming conflicts for another project that prevented her from playing Alexis. This was a stroke of good fortune for Murphy. She jumped at the chance to audition for the show. She was especially excited about the potential opportunity to work with Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy, who had been her comedy idols for years.
Of course, nabbing the role of Alexis was hardly a cakewalk for Murphy. She had to go through several rounds of auditions before she was officially offered a place in the Schitt’s Creek cast. Interestingly enough, her on-screen brother, Dan Levy, knew she was meant to play Alexis from her very first audition. However, the showrunner’s father and co-creator, Eugene, had a hard time seeing Murphy in the role because she was brunette, whereas Alexis was blonde.
Murphy recalls Dan Levy informing her that she’d booked the role of Alexis in ‘Schitt’s Creek’
Dan actually went to bat for Murphy, telling his father that they could simply dye Murphy’s hair blonde. Still, Eugene was unsure. Eventually, they brought the actor back in to test for the role. Afterward, it was unequivocally clear that Murphy was the one who should portray Alexis. Of course, it would be three weeks before Murphy would learn that she’d earned a place in the Schitt’s Creek cast. While speaking with Variety, Murphy recalled the call that changed her life.
“Dan picked up the phone and proceeded to say, ‘Hey, I just wanted to let you know that we loved having them come in, and we really loved what you did,'” Murphy remembered. “And then just left me hanging — like 45 years of my life went by. It was the worst. I was trying to put on a brave face, and be like, ‘Honestly, I grew so much as an actor,’ putting the tears back into the duct. Right before he hung up, he was like, ‘Just one quick question. How would you like to play my sister on the show?'”
Clearly, Murphy was the right one to portray Alexis, no matter what her hair color. We certainly can’t imagine Schitt’s Creek without her.
